JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. . 125 



men " which have giveu to the Smithsonian Institution its chief reputa- 

 tion and greatest usefulness throughout the civilized world. 



The reasonable explanation of the terms of the organic law (and which 

 those who were familiar with the discussions at the time know to be the 

 true one) is, that Congress did not attempt to define the particular course 

 which the Institution should take, probably because under the conflict- 

 ing and incongruous views that were urged, it did not clearly see its 

 way to do so. But while the law allowed all the available income to be 

 devoted to a library, if the Kegeuts should think proper to give the new 

 establishment that direction, it required scientific cabinets, laboratories, 

 «S:c., which looked to a certain amount of development upon a diflerent 

 line. The act indicated two or three allowable lines along which the 

 Institution might develop, either of which would soon have absorbed 

 all the income. Under it the Regents might have converted it essentially 

 into a library, into an educational establishment, or into a museum. 

 Under it they also might, still fulfilling the required conditions, develop 

 lines of operation which come closer to the express intent of the founder, 

 which intent must have been the governing principle of the whole enact- 

 ment. And this is what our predecessors did. It is not surprising that 

 this small body, having the responsibility laid upon it, should have 

 adhered as closely as possible to the terms of Smithson's will " founding 

 an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among 

 men." We believe that the propriety and the wisdom of their course, 

 confirmed by fhe results, is now unquestioned. 



That the museum and other collections mentioned in the act of estab- 

 lishment must have been regarded as a subsidiary feature, and the 

 library equally so, (except upon the alternative of its having the lion's 

 share,) would seem evident from the fact that these were to be main- 

 tained upon the income of the Smithsonian fund, while the objects com- 

 posing them belonged, and appear still to belong, to the Government of 

 the United States, and to be held in charge of the Institution for exhibi- 

 tion and study. Accordingly, when these collections increased to such 

 extent that the care and exhibition of them threatened to absorb a 

 large part of the income of the Smithsou fund, and to cripple legitimate 

 operations for the increase and diffusion of knowledge, which the Regents 

 had at the outset originated, and of which experience had shown the 

 wisdom so soon, we say, as these Government collections began to press 

 heavily upon the institution. Congress, being informed thereof, made 

 provision for assuming this burden. It has made increasing provision 

 as the collections have themselves increased in magnitude and cost of 

 maintenance. It has thereby manifestly acted upon the theory that 

 these museums are national property. The alternative view, viz, that 

 they are gifts, supplemented with gifts for their support, would be fatal 

 to the Institution, for the objects remain, continually increase, and can- 

 not be declined, while the gift for their maintenance may at any time 

 cease to be made. Ui>on this theory. Congress could at any time con- 



